The present invention relates to detection of electromagnetic field strength. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and product for sensing an electrostatic discharge.
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the sudden flow of electricity between two objects with different electric potentials whereby the two objects are brought so close together that the dielectric between them breaks down. In essence, ESD is static electricity flow between the two objects, and as a characteristic of such a current, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are created therefrom. The ESD event can damage a device, which in some circumstances may continue to function, thereby causing a latent defect.
Semiconductor devices are particularly sensitive to ESD. Detecting exposure of semiconductor components to ESDs, and their resulting EMFs, is critical to determining whether the components have been taken outside their operating envelope. The art of detecting EMFs has developed over time to include the use of a variety of equipment and methods including the use of electrochromic materials, balun transformers, magneto-optic devices, oscilloscopes, and magnetometers.